Why is our press bad? Coaching?

[007]

The main problem with our press is the initial deny. If we were to allow the first pass in and then denied, we might actually be decent at it. All of that length can work. But when Cooney (especially) and Ennis face away from the inbounder trying to deny that first pass, they invariably end up behind the advancing ball. I don't get it though. It was terrible last night.

Good point. You typically need very quick guards to play the front of the 1-2-1-1 "hot" (full face deny). In that set, you are hoping to force a 5 count, steal the entry pass, or force the receiver to the sideline. FWIW, the guards can also play partial deny positions from the inside (instead of full face deny with back to inbounder) and force the entry to the near corner for the trap from the chaser (guy guarding the inbounder).

 

[two3zone]

As little as we play the press and the limited bench there is really no reason to practice it a ton. It wears players down and that's the last thing we need.

 

[Orangeman]

I remember JB saying earlier in the year that we are a terrible press team. Last night was a mix of just a horrendous press and some solid plays by Ennis, et al. We are a team of 6'8 athletes that can run... Shouldn't that make for a solid pressing team... How can Louisville do it to increase pace and get their offense going, and we can't. A guy like Rak should have eaten Miller's lunch on a press...

Pressing is mindset/coaching first, athleticism a close second

There is no reason for the the all-or-nothing press with 8 mins left, it just means they haven't practiced other options.

There are plenty of presses that don't "cede" points just because...

This team will get it together and not be this bad at year-end, but pressing is a long-term poor-coaching issue at Syracuse

 

[hoopsupstate]

They really don't have a clue how to press. They have to realize the difference between a good trap and a really good trap. When you have a really good trap, every next pass has to be taken away. The only pass they have would be a desperation long pass, which has to have some air under it and should be stolen. You can't gamble when it's an ok trap because they can pass out of it. You also have to keep the ball in front of you. Cooney's man would get the ball and he would already have a running start going the other way and the press is over. Force the player one way and in front of you and you can still double. You have to careful not to double stupid and we have guys guarding air. They aren't trapping or anticipating the pass. This team is more than athletic to press. Number one they have to be taught to press correctly and they have to bust their ass whenever the ball gets ahead of them. Great pressing plays make plays at the end of the press, not just in the back court. Conditioning is a big key and there has to be extreme effort being put forth. One guy not running, will kill a press.

 

[MadNY3]

I remember JB saying earlier in the year that we are a terrible press team. Last night was a mix of just a horrendous press and some solid plays by Ennis, et al. We are a team of 6'8 athletes that can run... Shouldn't that make for a solid pressing team... How can Louisville do it to increase pace and get their offense going, and we can't. A guy like Rak should have eaten Miller's lunch on a press...

Name ANY team that rarely presses, but when it does, does it well.

The press is not fundamental element of our play in strategy. Hard to all of a sudden be good at something done 1% of the time max.